Longest, biggest pull you guys have done?
- Thread starter copper123
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highkvoltage
Senior Member
Re: Longest, biggest pull you guys have done?
We had to pull some lead sheath world war cable out that when bad out of some fiber cable duct. The 90's where steel and the lead melted when the fault occurred and gathered in the 90. We use a 40 ton grove crane with cable slings to pull it out. The operator claimed we had over 27,000 tension on it before it started to move. We poured pulling lube down the pipe and applied compressed air to blow the lube down the pipe. The only way we got it to move was we had a backhoe come out expose the 90 an rapped on it with a jackhammer. Finally it broke free.
We had to pull some lead sheath world war cable out that when bad out of some fiber cable duct. The 90's where steel and the lead melted when the fault occurred and gathered in the 90. We use a 40 ton grove crane with cable slings to pull it out. The operator claimed we had over 27,000 tension on it before it started to move. We poured pulling lube down the pipe and applied compressed air to blow the lube down the pipe. The only way we got it to move was we had a backhoe come out expose the 90 an rapped on it with a jackhammer. Finally it broke free.
Re: Longest, biggest pull you guys have done?
I don't know how many you guys heard about it, or saw it, but in the alaska magazine, they showed a picture of a record bull moose that got caught up in a new utility line that was getting pulled up in Alaska last fall. It had a amazing photo of the bull hanging by its antlers about 40 feet in the air. They had to put it out of its misery for a number of reasons, but what a chain of events. In the fall they get so crazy from the rut, they think it attacked the wire as it was getting to elevation.
I don't know how many you guys heard about it, or saw it, but in the alaska magazine, they showed a picture of a record bull moose that got caught up in a new utility line that was getting pulled up in Alaska last fall. It had a amazing photo of the bull hanging by its antlers about 40 feet in the air. They had to put it out of its misery for a number of reasons, but what a chain of events. In the fall they get so crazy from the rut, they think it attacked the wire as it was getting to elevation.
highkvoltage
Senior Member
Re: Longest, biggest pull you guys have done?
Now I'll make you guys laugh. We had two guys on a job that thought a conduit was blocked with concrete. They decided to put some acetylene gas down the pipe and light it to clear the blockage. The first attempt did not do the job so they decided to try again but with more gas. Well after pumping the pipe full they then thought they put to much in and got concerned. They thought about how to get it back out and came up with the brite idea to suck it out with a shop vac. They went and got the new greenlee shop vac and started sucking when we all heard a huge noise. That right the vac exploded. They we lucky it had a long hose and weren't right beside it. The bosses we none to happy. I laughed so hard I had tears coming down my cheeks looking at them two standing beside this vac with the dumbest look.
Now I'll make you guys laugh. We had two guys on a job that thought a conduit was blocked with concrete. They decided to put some acetylene gas down the pipe and light it to clear the blockage. The first attempt did not do the job so they decided to try again but with more gas. Well after pumping the pipe full they then thought they put to much in and got concerned. They thought about how to get it back out and came up with the brite idea to suck it out with a shop vac. They went and got the new greenlee shop vac and started sucking when we all heard a huge noise. That right the vac exploded. They we lucky it had a long hose and weren't right beside it. The bosses we none to happy. I laughed so hard I had tears coming down my cheeks looking at them two standing beside this vac with the dumbest look.
Re: Longest, biggest pull you guys have done?
This is a good topic. Its neat to read about other peoples experiences.
The longest pull for me was on the lightrail in Baltimore City. We were pulling fiber about a 1/2" think in diameter several thousand feet. I cant remember the exact length but it was long. The linemen were handling most of the rigging and we crossed over many road crossings that went over the tracks. We had flag men watching the road in case the cable dropped to low over the road way. One van almost took the cable for a ride. The guy drove right past the flag man waving the flag an the cable was hooked on the ladder rack luckally it slipped off. That was a close one.
The most memorable was at Lake Clifton High School also in Baltimore City. My last day with the company before I got transferred as a 3rd year apprentice. We had 4 #4s in a 1" pipe. The pull was maybe 200'. I couldn't budge it so the journeyman came over an tried it while I fed it. The next thing I know he comes running saying something about a water pipe had broke. We ran to the electric room an he had got the roped wrapped around a water guage an snapped it off. The water was shooting right into the panel onto the bus 480V 3 phase. I grabbed the only thing I saw a cieling tile to block the water from spraying in the panel. The journeyman ran to get somebody to turn the water off. I though for sure I was either going to get shocked or that the panel was going to blow. Luckally all that happened was 2 breakers tripped an they just happened to be feeding the lights in the administrative offices.
This is a good topic. Its neat to read about other peoples experiences.
The longest pull for me was on the lightrail in Baltimore City. We were pulling fiber about a 1/2" think in diameter several thousand feet. I cant remember the exact length but it was long. The linemen were handling most of the rigging and we crossed over many road crossings that went over the tracks. We had flag men watching the road in case the cable dropped to low over the road way. One van almost took the cable for a ride. The guy drove right past the flag man waving the flag an the cable was hooked on the ladder rack luckally it slipped off. That was a close one.
The most memorable was at Lake Clifton High School also in Baltimore City. My last day with the company before I got transferred as a 3rd year apprentice. We had 4 #4s in a 1" pipe. The pull was maybe 200'. I couldn't budge it so the journeyman came over an tried it while I fed it. The next thing I know he comes running saying something about a water pipe had broke. We ran to the electric room an he had got the roped wrapped around a water guage an snapped it off. The water was shooting right into the panel onto the bus 480V 3 phase. I grabbed the only thing I saw a cieling tile to block the water from spraying in the panel. The journeyman ran to get somebody to turn the water off. I though for sure I was either going to get shocked or that the panel was going to blow. Luckally all that happened was 2 breakers tripped an they just happened to be feeding the lights in the administrative offices.
friebel
Senior Member
- Location
- Pennsville, N.J.
Re: Longest, biggest pull you guys have done?
I believe that I discussed this pull, but the experience that I gained from it, I think might be worth repeating.
I was a young first-line supervisor in an industrial facility, and we had to make a pull of three- 500MCM copper conductors, 600 feet.
The voltage was 600 volts, 3-phase, and went from a transformer bank feed to a main switch in an electrical control room. As I stated I was a very young and green supervisor and my immediate supervisor suggesting that I do not follow the NEC minimum values, and he suggesting running 4-inch RMC for this 600 foot run, and also instead of using LBD's, to use junction boxes, 3-feet x 4-feet x 12 inches deep. We used two junction boxes on this run, and I always remember this experience, because if I had used the minimum values that the NEC gave, we would have been in big trouble. Rule of Thumb, Experience Counts, Listen to the Experience mechanic for their advice.
I believe that I discussed this pull, but the experience that I gained from it, I think might be worth repeating.
I was a young first-line supervisor in an industrial facility, and we had to make a pull of three- 500MCM copper conductors, 600 feet.
The voltage was 600 volts, 3-phase, and went from a transformer bank feed to a main switch in an electrical control room. As I stated I was a very young and green supervisor and my immediate supervisor suggesting that I do not follow the NEC minimum values, and he suggesting running 4-inch RMC for this 600 foot run, and also instead of using LBD's, to use junction boxes, 3-feet x 4-feet x 12 inches deep. We used two junction boxes on this run, and I always remember this experience, because if I had used the minimum values that the NEC gave, we would have been in big trouble. Rule of Thumb, Experience Counts, Listen to the Experience mechanic for their advice.
hardworkingstiff
Senior Member
- Location
- Wilmington, NC
Re: Longest, biggest pull you guys have done?
That is hilarious (since no one was hurt). Just out of curiosity, what does everyone do if the conduit has mortar in it?
highkvoltage
Senior Member
Re: Longest, biggest pull you guys have done?
I have use the acetylene trick and it does work with common sense. I have also used a soft 3/8" rod made for this purpose to bust blockages out.
I have use the acetylene trick and it does work with common sense. I have also used a soft 3/8" rod made for this purpose to bust blockages out.
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